Don't Love Me
by XBelle89x
Summary: Songfic of Jennifer Lopez/Marc Anthony's "No Me Ames" or Aleandro Baldi/Francesca Alotta's "Non Amarmi". She's desperate. He's stubborn. They can't make each other understand. One-shot.


They say age is nothing but a number. They say love conquers all. Remus John Lupin wasn't the kind of person who believed in all of that. He knew it, and he'd told her before. He was too old, too poor, and too dangerous.

However, looking at her, one would quickly wonder why it mattered at all. Nothing seemed to matter to Nymphadora Tonks. The younger woman was as carefree as they could possibly come- even her brightly colored hair dictated that.

Today, however, she seemed to be lost in her thoughts. Even her hair had lost its usual vivaciousness. Remus stepped closer to the younger woman. Her face was streaked with fresh tears. "Nymphadora, why are you crying?"

The woman could barely utter her usual retort of "Don't call me Nymphadora" before she got to her feet, taking both of Remus' hands in hers as tightly as she could before uttering "Because I love you."

"Why should you?" he replied. "I'm…"

"Too old, too poor and too dangerous. I know," Tonks sighed. "You've told me how many times now?"

"Enough to protect you."

"You've warned me of this so many times, Remus. You need to trust me. There's a war coming, we can't let it stop us. I'm not afraid to love you, Remus. I never will be."

"You know you shouldn't pity me."

"Pity you?" Tonks asked incredulously. "My love is not out of pity, it's…"

"Because I'm different," Remus replied somberly. "Because I'm… a werewolf."

"That has absolutely nothing to do with this! One of the biggest wars the wizarding world has ever seen is on the verge of breaking out!" the woman argued. "Shouldn't we take advantage of all the time we have together?"

"Don't think you have to keep up the charade, Nymphadora." Tonks looked angered that Remus was again using her given name. "I know why you're saying all this."

"You… you think I'm lying to you?" Tonks choked out. "Then.. then why do you love me back? You know you do!" Her tone became fiercer. "And you can say whatever you want, but I'm not leaving you! I never will!"

"I can't change who I am."

"And I'm not asking you to," her tone quickly became softer. "There's going to be a war, Remus. If we die, do you want our last thoughts to be everything we should have done? If one of us dies, will we ever find someone else? We can't let this be a war of regrets. We deserve each other, and we don't care what anyone else thinks. We can shout it to the skies!"

A devious smile spread across the woman's face. Before Remus could say a thing, Tonks had jumped out of the seat and run to the window. She flung the window open and leaned her head outside, looking to the neighbors in the street below. "I LOVE REMUS LUPIN!" she shouted, Remus' face growing redder behind her.

"How many people just heard you?"

"Everyone that needs to."

Remus paused after listening to her, as if in deep thought. "I… I don't know what to say," he stammered.

A smile broke out on the younger woman's face. "Tell me I'm right," she playfully ordered him, knowing she had finally gotten to him.

The older man sighed. "You're right," he admitted to her. "None of that should matter. If other people want to think that I'm too old, too poor, or too dangerous, let them. They're just trying to drag us down."

"They don't matter to us," Tonks smiled.

"No, they don't."

"You won't leave me, then?" the woman spoke timidly.

"Never. If I ever try to use those excuses on you again, please don't listen? You know I don't mean it, I…"

"And don't try to make me feel bad? I don't care about your… problem. It doesn't change how I feel. Trying to change my mind is useless… I won't."

"I'm sorry," Remus sighed. "I've made you suffer enough."

"You haven't made me suffer at all." Tonks smiled. "If anything, you're the one suffering too much. You need me. To help you forget your suffering. I'll keep you happy, Remus."

A YEAR LATER

Remus had finally caved. He and Tonks were married and soon had a little boy they had named Teddy, after Tonks' father. The war had indeed begun, and many people had already lost their lives. Remus looked around at his new surroundings. There were his old friends, James and Sirius, there was Lily, Snape, Fred… that traitor Wormtail… even good old Albus Dumbledore. Remus had finally gained his angel wings. He knew Tonks had to stay… to take care of their son… but he couldn't help but feel an emptiness inside.

"Looking for someone, Remus?" He turned to find the young, bubblegum-haired woman staring back at him.

"Nymphadora?" he questioned. "but…Teddy…"

"I'd venture to say my mother knows perfectly well how to handle him," Tonks winked. "And what have I told you about calling me that?" Some things never changed.

"So we're together… forever," Remus smiled at his young wife, admiring the even brighter vivaciousness that her newly acquired angel wings gave her.

"Forever." She smiled back. "Everything's right now."


End file.
